Winds were 15-25 mph (per the airport atis) today at the park we fly at. I knew the winds were honking but the field we fly at is 1200'x500', and the winds were running right down the long length of the field. My buddy and I each have an apprentice with the safe system, and I just got a new dx8 i was dying to try out.
Me being more experienced than him I decided to chance it first to try it out. He has had a few crashes due to not being able to know right and left is reversed when flying TOWARDS himself, which is another story so I was willing to take the hit this time.
Did our preflight, set the flight mode to basic rates at 70% expo at 30% walked into the middle of the field, and hand launched the apprentice into the wind........And it flew fine!! I have parachuting experience, so I knew where to avoid turbulence off of the trees, and to expect the loss of lift when turning downwind, but the safe and asx3 worked magically. I flew 10 minutes on a fresh battery and landed only to find out the battery was only down to 11.9, so we took off and flew another 10 minutes. When she landed I had 11.3 left on the 3s.
Knowing the plane and our skills could take it we flew another 5 batteries without a crash, or even an oooooh crap moment, I even flew my last battery in expert, and landed it right next to us. I LOVE THE APPRENTICE!!!!![Big grin :D :D](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Me being more experienced than him I decided to chance it first to try it out. He has had a few crashes due to not being able to know right and left is reversed when flying TOWARDS himself, which is another story so I was willing to take the hit this time.
Did our preflight, set the flight mode to basic rates at 70% expo at 30% walked into the middle of the field, and hand launched the apprentice into the wind........And it flew fine!! I have parachuting experience, so I knew where to avoid turbulence off of the trees, and to expect the loss of lift when turning downwind, but the safe and asx3 worked magically. I flew 10 minutes on a fresh battery and landed only to find out the battery was only down to 11.9, so we took off and flew another 10 minutes. When she landed I had 11.3 left on the 3s.
Knowing the plane and our skills could take it we flew another 5 batteries without a crash, or even an oooooh crap moment, I even flew my last battery in expert, and landed it right next to us. I LOVE THE APPRENTICE!!!!